Oil well and casing cleaning brush



NOV. 7, 1944. Q J, GIBSON 2,362,198

OIL WELL AND CASING CLEANING BRUSH Filed April 18, 194i "aia ma Patented Nov. 7, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,362,198 on. WELL AND cAsrNG CLEANING BRUSH cian J. Gibson, Los Angeles, cant. Application April 1s, 1941, serial No. 389,154

a claims. (c1. 16s-1a) My invention relates generally to brushes and more particularly to a brush that is designed for use in cleaning the perforations and slots in the tions from the surfaces of the formation through y which the well hole passes, as a centralizer to guide and maintain well casing in proper concentric position within the well hole, for guiding and centralizing various tools in wells and well casings, also as a short circuiting instrumentality between two parts of well equipment, for instance, the tubing and casing in a producing well.

My present invention is an improvement on the brush construction forming the subject matter of my copending application for U. S. Letters Patent, led July 15, 1940, Serial No. 345,592, now Patent No. 2,296,514, granted September 22, 1942, also the construction disclosed in an application for patent filed by me November 20, 1939, Serial No. 305,288.

The principal objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the brushes disclosed in my aforesaid copending patent applications, as well as other existing forms of similar brushes, and to provide an improved method and means of mounting the wire bristles on the body of the brush so that those portions of the wire bristles that project from the body of the brush may flex readily in all directions and at the same time to have a certain degree of radial movement with respect to the brush body, and which results are particularly advantageous in the cleaning action accomplished by the bristles and at the same time minimizing breakage and deformation of the bristies as a result of abnormal strains and thrust pressures imparted thereto while the brush is in service, and which advantageous results materially decrease the costs of maintaining the brushes in pair and materially increasing the life or period of service of the brush.

A further object of my invention is, to -provide a brush of the character referred to wherein the central member of the brush body or the mandrel is of tubular structure, thereby providing a duct that extends entirely through the brush which enables fluids such as water, circulation fluid, or cement, to be pumped through the brush while the same is in the well hole, and which results are especially advantageous in the washing of the Iwell hole and the casing or tubing positioned therein and also for Iaccomplishing cementing jobs in the wellhole.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a simple and improved form of wire bristle that is mounted on its supporting body so as to be highly eective in performing its intended functions, namely, the brushing and scraping of the inner surfaces of well liners and casings and to enter and pass through the perforations or slots in the liner so as to eifectively remove therefrom accumulations of sand, scale, chemical deposits, and the like, in order to permit oil, water or gas to now more freely from the well and the formation surrounding the same, into the liner and casing, and which bristles may also engage, scrape and clean the surfaces of the formation around well holes.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a brush of the character referred to that is of strong, substantial construction, capable of being readily assembled or taken apart, which advantage greatly facilitates replacement of broken and bent bristles and at the same time reducing maintenance costs, to construct the brush from a series of substantially identical bristle carrying members that may be assembled so as to form brushes of any desirable and workable lengths and further, to construct a brush which, if desired, may be utilized in connection with conventional oil well packers or when equipped with swab rubbers, as a washer.

A further object of my invention is, to provide an improved method of mounting pre-formed bristles, preferably of resilient wire, on a brush body which may be composed of two or more parts so that said bristles will, while the brush is in use, develop thrusting action in their outer end portions and which bristles under certain conditions, for instance, when the brush changes its direction of travel during use, will permit the projeoting'portions of the bristles to recede or more inwardly into the brush body without deformation or breaking of the bristles, further, to allow the projecting portions of the bristles to adjust themselves to the casing perforationsI or the surfaces that are being cleaned, and which bristles projecting from the body of the brush in no wise interferes with the free movement of fluids that are being pumped into the well hole through the brush and which must travel through the annular space between the brush body and the casing Wall or the surface of the well hole.

A further object of my invention is, to provide in a brush of the character referred to bristies formed from resilient wire, which bristles are constructed with pre-formed central portions that occupy an annular space or chamber between a mandrel and enclosing tubular member that combine to form the body of the brush, which preformed central portions of the bristles will within said annular chamber flex and change shape as a result of thrusting strains and pressure imparted to the end portions of the bristles that project from the body thereof and which flexing action reacts to the projecting portions of the bristles so as to impart thereto outwardly directed thrusting pressure, that is highly effective in enabling the brush to -perform the desired functions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the center of a brush constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the wire carrying members forming the body of the brush.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a, modified form of one of the brush carrying members.

Fig. 571s an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. -1.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of one of the pre-formed wire bristles and showing the same as it appears before being inserted in the brush body.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of one of the bristles.

Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views of modified forms f wire bristles.

Fig. 10 is a cross section similar to Fig. 5 but reduced in size and showing a modified form of the body that carries the wire bristles.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section showing a portion of a Well hole with a brush of my improved construction functioning as a Y(':entralizer for the casing or a tool within the well hole.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates a rod or mandrel which may be of any desired and convenient length and lwhich serves as a. carrier for the short cylindrical members or collars that carry the wire bristles of the brush, and the upper end of this rod is detachably connected to the lower end of a swivel socket II. I prefer to use a-rod I0 having an axial bore I2 in order that fluids or semifluids, such as water, circulation fluid or cement, may be pumped through said rod while the same is in the Well hole.

In the event that the mandrel is in the form of a tube, the swivel socket II may be provided with an axial bore that communicates with the bore through the mandrel, or the latter may be provided near its upper end with apertures IIJa that communicate with the bore and which construction is particularly desirable when the brush is used as a washer.

Detachably mounted on the lower end of rod IIJ is a conventional bull nose plug I3 which may be provided with a valve for controlling the flow of fluids and semi-fluids through the mandrel. To center and guide the lower portion of the brush during its travel in the well hole or casing, a plurality of bow-shaped members I4 of resilient metal are disposed about the lower portion of the mandrel above the bull nose I3 and the ends of these members are suitably secured to collars I that are mounted for limited longitudinal movement on the mandrel. Similar centering and guiding means which includes a, number of resilient members I8 similar to members Il is arranged for limited sliding movement on the upper portion of the mandrel. In order to materially enhance the cleaning effect of the brush, swabs I1 YYof rubber may be mounted on the upper portion of mandrel I0 below the swivel socket II.

In some instances, the centering members I4 and I6 may be dispensed with and the wire bristles that are mounted on the mandrel as hereinafter more fully described, provide resilient means for centering the brush in the casing or well hole.

The bristle carrying body of the brush is mounted on mandrel IU between the centering and guiding members Il and I6 and said body comprises a series of practically identical short cylindrical members or collars that are maintained in assembled relation and which are limited in their movement longitudinally on the mandrel by upper and lower collars I8 and I9 respectively that are detachably secured in any suitable manner to the mandrel.

The internal diameter of these cylindrical members or collars and which are designated by the numeral 20 is slightly larger than the external diameter of mandrel III, thus forming an annular chamber 2I between the cylinder made up of the members 20 and the mandrel.

This annular chamber 2i is essential to the successful functioning of applicants brush for the reason., said chamber permits the pre-formed central portions of the wire bristles which pass partially around the mandrel to flex for considerable distances both radially and circumferentially within said chamber as the outer ends of the bristles engage the wall of the well or the inner surface of a casing or the like and are thereby caused to move radially through the openings in the tube that surrounds the mandrel.

Formed on one end of each member 20 adjacent the inner surface of the wall thereof is a short circumferential flange 22 and formed on the opposite end of said member adjacent the outer periphery thereof is a short circumferential flange 23. Thus when a plurality of the members 20 are assembled, one immediately upon the other, the flange 22 on one end of each member has bearing within the flange 23 of the next adjacent member and the entire series of members form a sectional tube around the mandrel between the collars I8 and I9.

Each member 20 is provided in its lower end with an internal fiange 20a that bears against the mandrel.

Inasmuch as the members 20 are separately formed and not secured to each other or to the mandrel, they are free to rotate independently, which arrangement enables the ends of the bristles carried by the members 20 to more readily engage in the slots or openings of a perforated liner that is being cleaned with the brush and likewise enables the projecting ends of the wire bristles to adjust themselves to the walls or surfaces With which they make contact.

Positioned between collar I8 and a cap 20h above theuppermost mem-ber 20 is an expansive coil spring 20c which yieldingly resists upward movement of the entire series of members 20. This coil spring controls the longitudinal movement of members 20 on the mandrel and the tension of said coil spring may be controlled by adjusting upper collar I8 on the mandrel.

Each member 20 forming the brush body is provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinalwise enabling the parts to be readily disassem bled for the replacement of bristles that may become bent or broken while the brush is in service.

ly disposed rows of apertures 28 for the accommodation of the wire bristles, or in some instances the members are provided with longitudinally disposed bristle receiving slots such as 21, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Diierent forms of wire bristles that may be used in my improved brush are illustrated in Figs.

6 to 9 inclusive and these bristlesrwhich are formed from resilient wire have pre-formed central portions of definite shape.

In the form of bristle illustrated in Figs. and 6, the central portion 28 of the length of wire used in forming the bristle or that portion from a-a is formed on the arc of a circle having a radius less than the inner diameter of the tubular member 2U in which the wire is positioned and from the ends of this central portion 28, portions 29 of the Wire from a-b have a much greater radius than the central portion 28.

From the ends of the arcuate portions 29 or from the points b, portions 30 of the wire are extended in straight converging lines and from the ends of these straight portions, the end portions of the length of the wire are extended radially outward on diverging lines to form bristles 3| which project beyond the peripheries of the brush body members 20.

In the form of bristle illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown the straight bristle portions 3| of the wire disposed approximately sixty degrees apart and while such arrangement provides a very efilcient and satisfactory arrangement, the pre-formed bristles may be shaped so as to produce oppositely arranged bristle portions sia as illustrated in Fig. 8, or the bristle portions may I be disposed two hundred forty degrees apart as illustrated in Fig. 9 with a curved central portion approximately one hundred twenty degrees in length.

In Fig. 'l I have shown a form of bristle having a substantially circular or ovalshaped central portion32 and with the bristle end portions 33 disposed one immediately above the other and which form of bristle is particularly applicable for use on the short cylindrical body members 20 of the brush that are provided with slots 21 as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. I have shown a form of brush wherein the mandrel and the bristle carrying members are formed with diameters so that the width of the annular space between the parts is equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the bristle, and as a result of such construction there is no flexing or deformation of that portion of the bristle that passes around or partially around the mandrel.

In Fig. 11 I have illustrated a brush that may be used for cleaning the surface of the well hole,

or as a centralizer for well casing, or an elongated tool that is used in the well, and in this construction, a sleeve 34 has its ends secured by welding or otherwise to a tubular member 35. The internal diameter of sleeve 34 is slightly greater than the external diameter Vof tube 35. thereby providing an annular chamber 36 between the sleeve and tube and which chamber is occupied by the pre-formed central portions of wire bristles, the end portions 3l of which project through apertures formed in the sleeve.

The provision of a brush body including a mandrel and a series of short cylindrical members surrounding said mandrel, enables the bristles to be readily applied to the brush body, thereby minimizing time, labor, and consequent expense in the assembly of the brush, and like- A particularly desirable feature of my invention is, the pre-forming or the imparting of defl inite contour to the central portions of the bristles so that said central portions pass entirely or partially around themandrel forming a part of the brush body and the provision of the annular l0 space 2| between the mandrel and the bristle carrying members 20, for such construction in addition to ilrmly mounting the bristles 4on the body, permits the pre-formed curved central portion thereof to flex to a considerable degree as l5" the outer ends of the bristles are subjected to thrusting pressures while the brush is in service. In otherwords, the curved central portions oi the bristles may yield inwardly and outwardly and the projecting straight end portions of the bristles will likewise yieldingly slide freely through the openings in the tube as a result of contact of the outer ends of the bristles with irregular surfaces. f

Thus, the projecting straight portions of the bristles may flex or bend readily .in all directions and at the same time said projecting end portions may move for a limited distance radially with respect to the axis of the body and which movements take place as the". brush is reclprocated or n rotated while in use. l

As illustrated in Fig. 11, the projecting ends of the bristles flex or bendupwardly as the brush is lowered into the well holeuor casing and on the upward stroke of the brush the projecting ends oi.' the bristles will change positions so as to bend downwardly and at the time the brush changes its direction ofv travel, the projecting portions oi' the bristles will move radiallyinward so as to deform the central portions of the bristles as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

In repeated tests made with my improved brushl in wells in southern California, brushes containing five hundred wires, the end portions of which form one thousand bristles, have made as many as fifteen hundred vertical reciprocations without breaking a single wire or the bending of the same so as to render it unfit for service.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 1l, the

member 35 may be well casing, a drill pipe, or tubing, and which performs the functions of the mandrel I0, and where such construction is employed, the brush may be slipped over and associated with another tool such as a formation brush or a reamer brush. 5 Further desirable and advantageous features of my improved brush construction are the utilization of a tubular mandrel, which permits the flow of fluids or semi-iluids through the brush while the same is in the well, and the construction whereby the pre-formed central portions of the bristles are mounted in the brush body so that the projecting end portions of the bristles may flex readily in all directions and at the same time they may move radially inward as a result of thrusting pressures upon their outer ends and which latter result is effective in producing maximum brushing efilciency and materially reduces the possibility of breakage and permanent deformation of the bristles while in service.

A further advantage of my improved construction is the provision of a series of separate bristle carrying members such as 20 and which are held in assembled relation so that they may independently rotate, so that when the brush is used for cleaning perforated liners, the different bristle carrying members may act automatically in bringing about an engagement ci the projecting ends of the bristles with the slots or periorations in the liner.

While I have described my brush as being particularly intended for use in cleaning oil wells and the casings and tubes that are positioned therein, it will be understood that the brush may be advantageously employed with equal advantage in cleaning Water and gas wells and the easings and tubes thereof.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an oil well and casing cleaning brush that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very eil'ective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved oil well vand casing cleaning brush, may be made and substituted :for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

i. In a brush for cleaning wells, casings, and the like, a mandrel, a tube surrounding a portion of said mandrel, there being an annular chamber formed between said mandrel and tube and provided in its wall with openings, a plurality of wire bristles having pre-formed intermediate portions that pass partially around said mandrel within said' annular chamber, with the end portions of said bristles arranged to slide freely through the openings in said tubular member and the width of the annular chamber between the mandrel and tube being substantially greater than the diameter of the wire bristles in order that the intermediate portions of said bristles may ilex radially and circumierentially within said chamber.

2. In a brush i'or cleaning\wells, casings and the like, a mandrel, a tube formed in sections surrounding a portion of said mandrel, each section of the tube provided with a plurality of openings. there being an annular chamber formed between said mandrel and tube, a plurality of wire bristles having pre-formed intermediate portions that pass partially around said mandrel within said annular chamber, with the end portions of said bristles adapted to slide freely through the openings in the sections of said tube, the width of said annular chamber being substantially greater than the diameter of the wire bristles in order that the CLAIR J. GIBSON. 

